It’s Official: ReelzChannel & Muse To Develop ‘After Camelot’ Miniseries

November 15, 2012 7:04am

ReelzChannel this morning put out a press release confirming our story about the network’s plans to team with The Kennedys co-producer Muse Entertainment for a follow-up miniseries based on Randy Taraborrelli’s bestselling book After Camelot, which tells the personal history of the Kennedy family from 1968 to the present. Muse will produce the miniseries and handle international distribution. Keri Selig of Intuition Prods, who brought the project to Reelz, will serve as an executive producer. I hear Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais have been tapped to write the mini, which, like The Kennedys, is envisioned as an eight-hour event. “The Kennedy family is truly a part of the fabric of America and we’re thrilled to once again work with our partners at Muse Entertainment to bring our viewers this fascinating and continuing story,” said Stan E. Hubbard, CEO of ReelzChannel.

The Kennedys stirred controversy when it was abruptly dropped by History, the network that had commissioned it, shortly before it was to hit the air under what sources described as political pressure from the Kennedy clan. In a turnaround, with all major networks passing on the hot-potato project, ReelzChannel stepped in to pick it up for its first foray into original programming. The gamble paid off as The Kennedys put the fledgling channel on the map. Despite lukewarm reviews, the mini delivered strong ratings and four Emmys, including a lead actor in a movie/miniseries win for Barry Pepper.